Ahead of Elon Musk’s SpaceX going public on Friday 12th June, one in four (25%) Gen Z and Millennial investors say they have applied for shares in the company or will buy shares on the day of the IPO, according to new research* from Opinium.
One in seven (15%) of all UK investors say they have applied for shares or will buy them on the day of the IPO, which is on track to become the largest in market history. Male investors (18%) are also more likely than female investors (10%) to say that have or will buy SpaceX shares.
A quarter (25%) of UK investors say they are considering investing in SpaceX further down the line, rising to nearly half (47%) of Gen Z.
Knowledge of SpaceX IPO is high among UK investors
Over seven in 10 (72%) UK investors have heard of the SpaceX IPO, with male investors (76%) more likely to be aware than female investors (64%).
Among those who identify as knowledgeable investors, one in five (21%) say they will invest in SpaceX early, but three in 10 (31%) are adopting a more cautious, wait and see attitude.
Knowledgeable investors are also split on whether the SpaceX share price will increase or decrease by market close on Friday. Two in five (41%) say it will be higher than its entry price, while a third (32%) believe it will be lower.
Generational splits on reasons for backing SpaceX
Investors’ reasons for investing in SpaceX also vary by generation. The top reasons given by younger investors aged 18-34, who are investing or considering investing in SpaceX, is fear of missing out on a high-profile IPO (21%), tied with a belief that the share price will increase over time (21%).
By contrast, only 13% of those aged 35 and over give fear of missing out as a reason, with 27% citing their belief that the share price will increase. A quarter (25%) of investors aged 35 or over say they trust in the track record of Musk (25%), while 22% cite wanting to support the growth of space exploration.
James Nicandrou, Associate Director, comments: “Investor awareness of the SpaceX IPO is high in the UK, with 72% of investors saying they have heard of it. The research points to strong early interest among younger investors – 25% of Gen Z and Millennials say they have applied or plan to buy on the day. Motivations also differ by age, with younger investors more likely to cite FOMO, while older investors are more focused on expected share price growth and trust in Elon Musk’s track record. With SpaceX’s IPO set to be the largest in market history, investors are watching eagerly to see how the share price performs.”
